MLB.com beat writer Brian McTaggart blogs about all things Astros.

Big night in Corpus Christi

Astros closer Jose Valverde and second baseman Kaz Matsui played together at Double-A Corpus Christi on Wednesday night during a Minor League rehab stint in a game that also featured the Double-A debut of former No. 1 draft pick Jason Castro, a catcher taken No. 10 overall from Stanford last year.

Matsui, on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring, went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and a walk. He was scheduled to play seven innings Thursday and nine innings on Friday and Saturday.

Valverde, on the disabled list with a strained right calf, pitched a scoreless inning, walking two batters and striking out two batters. He threw 24 pitches (14 strikes) and hit 97 mph. He will throw again tonight and likely be activated in time for Friday’s series opener at Arizona.

Meanwhile, Castro went 1-for-4 with a run scored in his first game since being promoted from High-A Lancaster.

But the star of Wednesday’s show was Hooks starting pitcher Polin Trinidad, who threw seven shutout innings and allowed only one hit while striking out five batters to lower his ERA to 4.01. After giving up a one-out single during the first, Trinidad retired the final 20 batters he faced.

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